Consultation: Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay

In July 2017, Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, raised a private members’ bill, the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Bill. The purpose of the Bill is to ensure parents who have suffered the death of a child and are in employment, have the right to statutory paid leave during the immediate period following the bereavement.

There is no current legal obligation for employers to give paid leave to grieving parents. Under the Employment Rights Act, employees have the right to take reasonable time off in relation to the death of a dependant however, there is no statutory obligation to pay for that time.

The consultation’s main focus points will be:

The definition of a bereaved parent

How long for and in what way the leave will be taken

Evidence and notice required to be entitled to take leave and receive pay

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is inviting members of the public to provide feedback on the subject. Follow this link to complete the online survey.

Aspire comment

Incorporating bereavement leave policy into employment handbooks can have a major positive impact on the employer-employee relationship, as well as providing written guidance for managers on how to manage difficult situations. Without a written bereavement policy, employers have to rely on discretion and keeping track of past decisions in similar cases to ensure processes are applied fairy and consistently.

Aspire HR are experienced in handling difficult situations and drafting family friendly policies. If you have any questions regarding family friendly policies and process, please call 0121 445 6178 or email enquire@aspirepartnership.co.uk.

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